The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-06-22
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINErS SUN.
DAY SERMON.
Subject: "The Tempest"


Hberias, Galilee, Gennesaret-three names
for the same lake. No other gem ever had so
beautiful setting. Itlay in scene of great
1uIuriance; the surrounding hills high, ter
raced, sloped, groved, SO many hanging gar
dens of beauty the waters rumbling down
between rocks of gray and red limestone,
flashing from the hills and bounding into the
sea. On the shore were castles, armed towers,
Roman baths, everything attractive; all
styles of vegetation in shorter space than in
almost any other space in all the worl1, from
the palm-tree Of the tropics to the trees Of
rigorous climate.
It seemed as if the Lord had launched one
wave of beauty on all the scene, and it hung
and swung from rock and hill and oleander.
Roman gentlemen in pleasure boats sailing
the lake, and the countrymen in fiSh-smacks
coming down to drop their nets pass each
other with nod and shout and laughter, or
swinging idly at their moorings. Oh, what a
wonderful, what an enchanting lake!
1t seems as if we shall have quiet night
Not leaf winked in the air; not a ripple
wrinkled the face of Gennesaret: but there
seems to be little excitement up the beach,
and we hasten to see what it is, and we find it
? an embarkation.
From the western shore a fotilla pushing
out; not squadron of deadly armament, nor
a clipper with valuable merchandise, nor
piratic vessels ready to destroy everything
they could seize; but a fotilla, bearing
messengers Of life, and light, and peace.
Christ is in the front boat. Many of His
disciples are following in smaller boats. Jesus,
weary with much speaking to large multi
tudes, is put into sonnolence by the rocking
of the waves, If there was any motion at
all the ship was easily righted; if
the wind passed from starboard to
larboard, or from larboard to starboard, the
boat would rock and by the gentleneSS of the
motion putting the Master asleep. And they
.e1temperized pillow made out of fisher
mans coat. / think no sooner is Christ pros
trate, and His head touches the pillow, than
run their fingers through the locks of the
worn sleeper. and tho boat rises and falls like
q sleeping child on the bosom Of sleeping
mother.
Calm night, starry night, beautiful night.
Run up all the sails, ply all the oars, and let
the large boat and the smaller boats glide
over the gentle Gennesaret. But the sailors
Say there is going to be change of weather.
And even the passengers can hear the moan
stride, and all the terrors of hurricane and
darkness. The large boat trembles like
deer at bay among the clangor Of the hounds;
great patches Of foam are flung into the air;
the sails of the vessel loosen, and tapped by
the wind crack like pistols: the smaller boats,
like petrels, poise on the cliff of the waves and
than plunge.
Overheard 70 cargo, tackling, and masts,
and the drenched disciples, rush into the back
part Of the boat. and lay hold Of Christ, and
say unto him: master, carest Thou not that
we perishw That great parsonage lifts His
head from the pillow of the fisherman'S coat,
walks to the front of the vessel, and looks
out into the storm. All around Him are the
smaller boats, driven in the tempest, and
h Nf I,.N,,
By the fash of the lightning I see the calm
brow of Christ as the spray dropped from his
beard. He has one word for the sky and an
other for the waves. Looking upward He
cries: peace" Looking downward He says
ABe STILL"
The waves fall fat on their faces, the foam
melts, the extinguiShed stars re-light their
torches. The tempest falls dead, and Christ
stand with His right foot on the neck of the
storm. And while the sailors are baiing out
the boats, and while they are trying to un-
tangle the cordage, the disciples stand in
amazement, now looking into the calm sea,
then into the calm sky, then into the calm
Saviour's countenance, and they cry out:
{" What manner of man is this, that even the
winds and the sea obey Him!"
The subject in the first place impre;ses me
with the fact that it is very important TO
have Christ in the ship; for all those boats
would have gone to the bottom Of Gennesaret
If Christ had not been present. Oh, what
lesson for you aud for me to learn! Wemust
always have Christ in the ship. Whatever
voyage we undertake, into whatever enter
prise we start, let us always have Christ in
the ship Many of you in these days of
revived commerce are starting out in new
financial enterprises. bid you good cheer
possible. You have no right to be a
steker in the ship if you can be an
admiral Of the navy You have
no right to be colonel of a regiment if you
can command brigade; you have no right
to be engineer of boat on the North River,
or near the coast, if you can take the ocean
steamer from New York to Liverpool. All
you can do with utmost tension of body,
mind, and soul, you are bound to do: but OH
have Christ in every enterprise, Christ in
every voyage, Christ in every ship.
There are men here who asked God to help
them at the start of great enterprises. He
has been with them in the past; no trouble
can overthrow them; the storms might come
down from the top of Mount Hermon, and
lash Gennesaret into foam and into agony,
but it could not hurt them.
But here is another man who starts out in
worldly enterprise, and he depends upon the
uncertainties of this life. He has no God to
ben him After - "hi'o t%e rto"''' c>noS
and tosses off the masts Of the ship; he puts
out his hfeboat and the long boat, the
sheriff and the auctioneer try to help him off
they can't help him off; he must go down: no
Christ in the ship. Here are young men just
starting ont in life. Your life will be made
up OF sunshine and shadow. There may be
IL it arctic blasts, or tropical tornadoes; l
know not what is b fore you, but ] know if
you have Christ with you all shall be well.
You may seem to get along without the
religion OF Christ while everything goes
smoothly, but after while, when sorrow
hoGerS over the soul, when the waves Of trial
dash clear over the hurricane deck, and t:s
decks are crowded with piratical disasters;
oh, what would you do then without Christ
in the ship! Young man, take God for your
portion, God for your guide, God for your
help; then all is well; all is well for time;
all shall be we'll forever. Blessed is that man
who puts in the Lord his trust. He shall
never be confoundcd.
But my subject also impresses me with the
fact that when people start to follow Christ
they must not expect smooth sailing.
These disciples got into the small boats, and
] have no doubt they said: What a beauti-
full day this is What smooth sea, What
q bright sky this is. How delightful
is sailing this boat! and as for the
waves under the keel of the boat, why
they only make the motion of our little uoat
the more delightful" But when the winds
swept down, and Sthe sea was tossed into
wrath, then they found that following Christ
was not smooth sailing So You have found
it; so have found it. Did you ever notice
the end of the life of the apostles of Jesus
Christ? You would say if ever men ought
10 have mad smooth life, smooth depart
ure, then those men, the disciples of Jesus
Christ, ought to have had such departure
and such life.
St. James lost his head st. Philip was
hung on q pillar St Matthew had his life